Recruitment of the Damned
by GodofGreed
Summary: John has been having a bad week, with his dead son and sick wife. But all that might change due to a certain wizard: Kel'Thuzad. This story is about how Cinderhome first became a part of the Scourge. Not a crack!fic. Rated T because I'm paranoid.
1. Cinderhome

**This is my 1st story for Warcraft. I noticed there were no stories for Kel'Thuzad, so I decided to make one. This story is about how the Cult of the Damned became so powerful. All of the characters, sans Kel'Thuzad and Buzan the Fearless, are OCs**

_Location: Cinderhome_

John Bleras was having a hard week. First, most of his crops and animals where stolen by some kids, then his son (Smith) became sick and died, his wife seemed to catch the same disease and is now bedridden, and worst of all it could have been prevented by that damned paladin trainee! John felt his hands curl into fists just thinking of him. He showed up and convinced many people that the kids who stole from him should be forgiven and not have to work for him till they were able to pay him back (the knights he brought with him _did not in anyway help_). When John went to speak to the paladin about why he did what he did, and if he could possibly help his son and wife, when he overheard the kids. "I told you my cousin would come to help us out!"

The first child said smugly, "Who would have thought a paladin apprentice would help us out? I thought we were going to have to work for that guy." The second child said. The third told both of them, "Who cares about him? With your cousin in the village, we can do anything we want! You know how paladins are treated, I think the law says paladins get everything better for a cheaper price in return for their duties."

The three exchanged grins, and John decided he'd heard enough. '_Well… now I know why that paladin came to help them,_' John thought bitterly. His mood got even worse after meeting the paladin. That man first thought he was a servant who was sent to do everything he said. After he realized who John was, he told John to ask anything of him. When John asked if the paladin trainee could use his powers of the Light to heal his sick son and wife, he told John he would do it for a price: $100,010 gold coins.

When John asked why so much and aren't paladins not supposed to charge the people, he laughed at John and told him to get out of his sight.

The next week was bad on a good day for most villagers and hell on a bad one. The paladin trainee respected no one, got drunk, insulted the villagers, and favored his cousin and his friends. John, his best friend (Steve Zos), and his sister-in-law (Sara Haws) where the ones who hated this situation the most.

All of Cinderhome (minus the paladin trainee and the three kids) were happy when the paladin, Buzan the Fearless, came to get the young apprentice back. The kids were sad to see him leave, but Buzan told them that one day they could be paladins too.

This made the kids very happy, and after saying goodbye to the paladin, the trainee, and the knights* they started bragging that one day they were going to be paladins, so the villagers of Cinderhome should be nice to them. Their parents were actually proud of them, saying they would do amazing things and help the village and all of Lordaeran one day.

This made all of the villagers disgusted with them, but they were unable to do a thing because of the paladins in their families. John was just walking around aimlessly earlier that day when Sara told him there was a wizard visiting Cinderhome. So he decided to meet this wizard, he certainly couldn't make things worse.

It turned out that a large portion of the village decided to learn what this wizard was offering; John shrugged, saw a seat next to Steve, and sat down. In a few minutes, when all of the seats were filled, a man wearing an animal skull (goat) on his head, dark robes with a book attached to his side, a long white beard, and carrying a staff with a miniature dragon attached to it appeared. When he faced the villagers, everyone was able to see his glowing yellow eyes.

When he started speaking, everyone else became silent. "Greetings villagers of Cinderhome, I am Kel'Thuzad. I have heard of your problems involving the paladins, and I have come to help. The paladin apprentice believed, and still does, that you villagers of Cinderhome are inferior to him because you do not have royal blood, are not paladins, or family. Weren't paladins originally created to protect the people, such as you villagers? Perhaps they were created not to protect, but as an excuse to raise taxes and instill loyalty. Think about it, churches are built on good, fertile land, but is it possible that land belonged to someone else? A farmer who needed that land to support his family had to give it up because of the paladins of the Light need to have devoted followers. Won't that create even more paladins one day? Will that make life better for the common people? I don't think so. It will only create more paladins like the one that visited your village. What have the paladins done for you? They have abused their power! Why should they get the better food than the common person, for a cheaper price no less? Why should you, the common people, the ones they have sworn to protect suffer to make the paladins lives easier? Where is the justice in that? What about the people who want to become paladins but can't because of a reason that's not their fault? I've seen thieves try to become paladins, but denied without a second chance because of their pasts. But some of those thieves were only children who just stole what they could to survive. Does that make them sinners, just because they wanted to live? How about the crippled people who begged to be healed so they could help other people who needed it? They were all turned down and told to go home. Yet, for rich families, if someone is crippled or injured they get the first and best treatment even if it's not as serious as some other people in need of dire help. What about…" for a moment it looked as if this wizard, Kel'Thuzad, looked at John directly, "… people with diseases? Paladins have in fact shunned the sick if they cannot, or feel they cannot, cure them. The paladins claim they have been sick too long for even the Light to save them, or they were wicked people and the Light was punishing them for their heinous deeds. The people pay taxes expecting the paladins to help everyone, but how can they do that if they refuse to acknowledge a problem? They merely dismiss the problem and hope it goes away. My master is offering a new path, a darker path, without paladins. This new path will grant you eternal life, become reunited with loved ones that have died, and revenge. I will show you what my master has taught me."

With that being said, a man wearing a robe similar to Kel'Thuzad's appeared dragging a corpse. He placed the corpse on the ground, ignoring the villager's mutterings and John's horror. Steve turned to look at his best friend, seeing how he'd react to his son's corpse being used as an example. Kel'Thuzad raised his staff, and the corpse moved. In a matter of moments Smith rose to his feet looking around at the gathered villagers with glowing blue eyes. Many of said villagers were thinking they found immortality, others a way to live without ever losing a loved one, some were thinking of power, a small group was horrified at this, and John felt relief, joy, and a new sense of loyalty to Kel'Thuzad and his master…

**Sorry about the abrupt ending, I was going to put more but I'm tired.**

***Remember the paladin trainee brought knights with him to prove he's real, not a fake paladin**


	2. Andorhal

**Decided to make this a two-shot instead of a one-shot story. Thanks to MMiladinova and jm18 for favoriting this story. Anyway… this chapter is about how the plagued grain made it to Andorhal. Enjoy.**

_Location: Road_

John smiled to himself thinking about his new life. Not that long ago, he was forced to respect the paladins who abused their power, be kind to disrespectful nobles, and worry about his family living1. But now, thanks to Kel'Thuzad and the Lich King, he no longer has to worry about it. He was one of the first to join the Cult of the Damned after Kel'Thuzad's speech and demonstration. John was so happy that his son was back with them, and his son felt the same way. When he went home, he found his wife's dead body in bed. John and Smith brought the corpse to Kel'Thuzad to raise as an undead.

She was brought back as a banshee and John was overjoyed that she no longer felt bodily harm. He decided then that he would serve Kel'Thuzad and his master. Kel'Thuzad told him that undeath is a gift, and all should be able to experience it. John, along with some other new members of the cult, learned about the plagued grain, and how it spreads undeath. Soon, they were practicing raising the dead to serve the Lich King, Ner'zul, then they practiced controlling the undead creatures, and once they were deemed powerful enough, they learned to summon buildings.

Kel'Thuzad told them that some cultists should leave the village and spread the plagued grain, while others should stay behind and create an outpost for the Scourge-the undead army- John was chosen to bring the plagued grain to Andorhal. Since it is a trading village, it will infect even more people, and if the people of Andorhal ate the plagued food, then the Scourge has conquered an important city without much effort. A win-win. John was happy he could repay Kel'Thuzad and the Lich King by doing this2 . '_Soon,_' John thought to himself, '_all of Lordaeron will belong to the Lich King and the Scourge! There will be no more paladins and corrupted nobles to abuse their power. It's time for a new age._'

John was currently using a carriage to move a few crates full of plagued grain, and he had almost lost it when one of the wheels broke and the horse ran away. Luckily for John, there was a nearby village that helped him out. In exchange for some grain, they gave him a new horse and fixed the wheel. John thanked them and went on his way when he was ready to leave, the villagers told him to come back to visit one day.

John decided he would to see the effects of the Plague on the small village. First, he has to spread the Plague and strengthen the Scourge. Then once everyone experiences the joy of undeath, there will be no more fighting, disease, taxes, suffering, corrupt officials, or anything else that makes the world a hard place to live. Kel'Thuzad told the cultists-acolytes- "_In death, we are all equal. We are all given a second chance at life through the will of the Lich King. In death, we are forgiven for any and all crimes we have committed. The Lich King is the one who gives everyone that chance. But if you serve him in life, then you are rewarded in death._" John remembered those words. They gave him purpose a feeling that he belongs now, and for all eternity. John knew that not all of the undead could be saved. The abominations are not very smart and have no free will of their own, but John would be more than happy to have that paladin and his damned family be turned into abominations.

John smirked cruelly at the thought. He could almost hear the screams of horror. To bad the three kids won't be turned into abominations anytime soon. They were killed by Smith when they were passing by his house and raised as ghouls. But if they died again, or suffered from an _accident_-John smirked at the thought- they _could _be used as parts for an abomination, they would still be loyal to the Lich King. John did not see a problem in his plan, but then he thought that they could attack the paladin they admired so much. If John was lucky they would kill each other and leave enough parts for an abomination. But, that's a story for another day. John could see the gates of Andorhal now. Time to spread his gift…the power…

…All in the name of the Lich King...

**So what did you think? I know it's short but I like it. Please leave a comment and tell me if it's good.**

**1****: Remember in the first chapter his son caught a disease and died, and his wife was also sick.**

**2****:Kel'Thuzad brought his son and wife back from the dead, but Ner'Zhul gave him his extensive knowledge of necromancy.**


End file.
